Overview: The G.I Bill (The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944) was created to assist returning veterans to enter into institutions of higher education (as well as other services), that helped to boost enrollment in addition to helping shift the attitude of a college education from being only for the rich and privileged(1) to being accessible to those who work hard towards it, regardless of their financial or social status. Following the widespread unemployment and difficulty that followed veterans in the years after World War I, lawmakers and veterans alike wanted to work towards making sure that the servicemen would have ample opportunity to pursue their desired field following WWII (1). The Bill’s benefits continue to be used today, allowing those who have served to gain access to education and other services that may otherwise be unattainable.
What We Believed Before:
Before the G.I Bill, servicemen returning from war would be behind in their employment opportunities (or business ventures) from the time that they spent away during war. In addition, before the Bill, the majority of soldiers wouldn’t have access to education due to the cost, and the past precedent of it being only for the elite (1). Servicemen also faced widespread unemployment, which could be attributed to being unable to compete with the people who had taken their jobs, or the jobs normally reserved for people with their types of education and experience. At this time, universities were also different in that their enrollment numbers were substantially smaller (4) to reflect the number of applicants-most of who were of a wealthy and socially elevated background.
What we Believed After:
Following the Bill, servicemen were able to receive an education that had previously been unattainable. This created a significant change in university enrollment(2), boosting it because the government was paying for the education that the men would receive. It began a new era of government participation in financial aid to aspiring students, bridging the gap of financial discrepancy between college students. Today, the government has several aid,loan and grant packages to students, which help to alleviate some of the financial burden that is associated with a college education, making it more accessible to members of the “lower” classes. The GI Bill’s importance lies in that it created a standard by which our parents and grandparents were granted access to an institution previously inaccessible, which they in turn instilled in us to work towards higher education, and the opportunities to get ahead that it offers.
How do Schools act as if we still had the "old" Belief?
Tuition rates for private universities (and even public ones) are reaching astronomical rates, making it increasingly difficult for students (and servicemen alike) to carry the burden of huge student loans. Students who are considering college, may have to go to what some consider an extreme-becoming part of the military- in order to get the type of education that they desire. Students not considering the military must navigate through unfamiliar territory of loans and grants, which can be lengthy and complicated. While it is a drastic change from the past of no aid, today, students are demanding more aid to keep up with the rising cost of their education from policymakers, the government, universities and other venues of higher education.
GI Bill of 1944
Overview:
The G.I Bill (The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944) was created to assist returning veterans to enter into institutions of higher education (as well as other services), that helped to boost enrollment in addition to helping shift the attitude of a college education from being only for the rich and privileged (1) to being accessible to those who work hard towards it, regardless of their financial or social status. Following the widespread unemployment and difficulty that followed veterans in the years after World War I, lawmakers and veterans alike wanted to work towards making sure that the servicemen would have ample opportunity to pursue their desired field following WWII (1). The Bill’s benefits continue to be used today, allowing those who have served to gain access to education and other services that may otherwise be unattainable.
What We Believed Before:
Before the G.I Bill, servicemen returning from war would be behind in their employment opportunities (or business ventures) from the time that they spent away during war. In addition, before the Bill, the majority of soldiers wouldn’t have access to education due to the cost, and the past precedent of it being only for the elite (1). Servicemen also faced widespread unemployment, which could be attributed to being unable to compete with the people who had taken their jobs, or the jobs normally reserved for people with their types of education and experience. At this time, universities were also different in that their enrollment numbers were substantially smaller (4) to reflect the number of applicants-most of who were of a wealthy and socially elevated background.
What we Believed After:
Following the Bill, servicemen were able to receive an education that had previously been unattainable. This created a significant change in university enrollment (2), boosting it because the government was paying for the education that the men would receive. It began a new era of government participation in financial aid to aspiring students, bridging the gap of financial discrepancy between college students. Today, the government has several aid, loan and grant packages to students, which help to alleviate some of the financial burden that is associated with a college education, making it more accessible to members of the “lower” classes. The GI Bill’s importance lies in that it created a standard by which our parents and grandparents were granted access to an institution previously inaccessible, which they in turn instilled in us to work towards higher education, and the opportunities to get ahead that it offers.
How do Schools act as if we still had the "old" Belief?
Tuition rates for private universities (and even public ones) are reaching astronomical rates, making it increasingly difficult for students (and servicemen alike) to carry the burden of huge student loans. Students who are considering college, may have to go to what some consider an extreme-becoming part of the military- in order to get the type of education that they desire. Students not considering the military must navigate through unfamiliar territory of loans and grants, which can be lengthy and complicated. While it is a drastic change from the past of no aid, today, students are demanding more aid to keep up with the rising cost of their education from policymakers, the government, universities and other venues of higher education.
Works Cited:
(1) "GI Bill History." http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/history.htm
(2) "History of Financial Aid." http://www.chessconsulting.org/financialaid/history.htm
(3) "Financial Aid." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_Aid
(4) "Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GI_Bill
Link: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/